Maxine Hugon

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I create one-of-a-kind wheel-thrown and hand-built functional porcelain and stoneware pottery. Drawing on ancient cultures' traditions of sgraffito slip carving, my surface decoration bows to the past, while my designs of leaves, flowers, animals and other motifs from nature are whimsical and fresh.

Today we live with flat, glowing rectangles that connect us to anything and everything, from our work to our dearest
friends. It is an amazing time, and we are fortunate for the virtual connection at our fingertips. But we still need a mug for
our morning coffee, a bowl to sit on the kitchen counter to cradle our fruit, and a vase for our flowers.

In my work, I strive to impart contemplative beauty to these real, solid objects we reach for and use every day. My pots
are hand-thrown on a wheel, my designs hand-carved into the still-damp clay, my slips and glazes hand-applied to reveal
strokes of my brush. My aim is to deliver the experience of a visually and tangibly rich surface quality, at once fragile and
substantial, and most importantly, created by the hands of a real person.

I am influenced by many cultures and sources, including medieval architectural ornament, interlacing Celtic design, wallpaper
patterns of the English Arts & Crafts Movement, 11th century Chinese carved vessels, and the things I see out my window.
My designs are inspired by nature, and my renderings of classic motifs like leaves, flowers and birds, are stylized and almost
cartoon-like, transforming timeless icons into designs that are whimsical and fresh.

In my work I use sgraffito—the centuries-old decorative process of drawing into the surface of the clay. Slip (liquid clay)
is applied to the pot when it is still damp, at the leather-hard stage, and allowed to set-up. The slipped pot re-dries, and
reaches an ideal point between soft and hard, when I draw and carve designs into the surface of the clay, taking care to
consider the form of the piece. The pot is then bisque fired, and glazed so as to enhance the carved surface. Finally, the
pot is returned to the kiln for glaze firing, at which point all my intention and careful tending is replaced by an element of
chance. When the kiln is finally cooled and opened, hopefully the flames and atmosphere of the firing will have added its
own unique magic to the surface of the pot.